Registered Nurses resume skills and keywords
In 366 Registered Nurses job postings from 130 employers analysed on October 23, 2026, the most requested skills are Communication (67 %), Patient care (56 %), Compassion (55 %), RN license (53 %) and EHR (30 %). Of the top 40 skills, 27 are hard skills, tools or certifications and 13 are soft skills.
Download the full list as a CSV or check your own resume against a posting with the free keyword scanner.
Top 40 skills in Registered Nurses job postings
| Skill | Share of postings | Type |
|---|---|---|
| Communication | 67 % | Soft skill |
| Patient care | 56 % | Hard skill |
| Compassion | 55 % | Soft skill |
| RN license | 53 % | Certification |
| EHR | 30 % | Tool |
| BLS | 29 % | Certification |
| Collaboration | 27 % | Soft skill |
| Driver license | 24 % | Certification |
| CPR | 23 % | Certification |
| Leadership | 22 % | Soft skill |
| Critical thinking | 17 % | Soft skill |
| Compassionate Care | 16 % | Hard skill |
| Clinical Judgment | 15 % | Hard skill |
| Medication administration | 15 % | Hard skill |
| ACLS | 15 % | Certification |
| Teamwork | 15 % | Soft skill |
| Interpersonal skills | 14 % | Soft skill |
| HIPAA | 14 % | Certification |
| Attention to detail | 14 % | Soft skill |
| Patient-Centered Care | 14 % | Hard skill |
| Vital signs | 13 % | Hard skill |
| Problem Solving | 13 % | Soft skill |
| Empathy | 12 % | Soft skill |
| Triage | 12 % | Hard skill |
| Case management | 12 % | Hard skill |
| Flexibility | 12 % | Soft skill |
| Wound care | 12 % | Hard skill |
| Care planning | 10 % | Hard skill |
| Care Coordination | 10 % | Hard skill |
| Clinical Documentation | 10 % | Hard skill |
| Organizational skills | 10 % | Soft skill |
| Mentoring | 10 % | Soft skill |
| Behavioral health | 10 % | Hard skill |
| Patient assessment | 10 % | Hard skill |
| Pediatric | 9 % | Hard skill |
| State license | 9 % | Certification |
| Orientation | 9 % | Hard skill |
| Discharge planning | 9 % | Hard skill |
| Patient education | 8 % | Hard skill |
| Patient Safety | 8 % | Hard skill |
Hard skills vs soft skills vs tools and certifications
Hard skills (19)
- Patient care 56 %
- Compassionate Care 16 %
- Clinical Judgment 15 %
- Medication administration 15 %
- Patient-Centered Care 14 %
- Vital signs 13 %
- Triage 12 %
- Case management 12 %
- Wound care 12 %
- Care planning 10 %
- Care Coordination 10 %
- Clinical Documentation 10 %
- Behavioral health 10 %
- Patient assessment 10 %
- Pediatric 9 %
- Orientation 9 %
- Discharge planning 9 %
- Patient education 8 %
- Patient Safety 8 %
Soft skills (13)
- Communication 67 %
- Compassion 55 %
- Collaboration 27 %
- Leadership 22 %
- Critical thinking 17 %
- Teamwork 15 %
- Interpersonal skills 14 %
- Attention to detail 14 %
- Problem Solving 13 %
- Empathy 12 %
- Flexibility 12 %
- Organizational skills 10 %
- Mentoring 10 %
Tools and software (1)
- EHR 30 %
Certifications and licenses (7)
- RN license 53 %
- BLS 29 %
- Driver license 24 %
- CPR 23 %
- ACLS 15 %
- HIPAA 14 %
- State license 9 %
Keyword phrases recruiters use
Multi-word phrases that recur across these registered nurses postings, with the share of postings that use each one.
How to use this on your resume
Treat the table as a checklist, not a script. Put the skills you genuinely have in your skills section, using the same wording as the posting, and back the top ones with a bullet that shows the result.
Each job posting differs from the average, so compare your resume with the actual ad: paste it into the resume keyword scanner to see which terms you already have and which are missing. The ATS keywords guide explains where to place them so applicant tracking systems read them.
Skip any skill you cannot talk about in an interview; a keyword that falls apart under one question costs more than it gains. For a full layout with these skills in context, see the Registered Nurses resume example. Then prepare for the Registered Nurses interview questions that test them.
Build a registered nurses resume with these skills
Start in the editor, tailor your bullets to the job you want and download an ATS-friendly resume.